Expandlyhttp://expandly.com
Cost-effective Multichannel Management SoftwareThu, 15 Feb 2018 08:00:14 +0000en-GBhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.9/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/cropped-expandly-favicon-32x32.pngExpandlyhttp://expandly.com
3232eBay Moves Paypal Out & Adyen Inhttp://expandly.com/2018/02/15/ebay-adyen/
http://expandly.com/2018/02/15/ebay-adyen/#respondThu, 15 Feb 2018 08:00:14 +0000http://www.expandly.com/?p=2780Following its rather public breakup back in 2015, eBay is making its conscious uncoupling with PayPal even more formal, by boxing up its things and moving rival company, Adyen, in. eBay eBay is the global ecommerce online marketplace that operates in over 190 markets, has 170 million active buyers and has 1 billion live listings. They’re kind of a […]

]]>Following its rather public breakup back in 2015, eBay is making its conscious uncoupling with PayPal even more formal, by boxing up its things and moving rival company, Adyen, in.

eBay

eBay is the global ecommerce online marketplace that operates in over 190 markets, has 170 million active buyers and has 1 billion live listings. They’re kind of a big deal.

Adyen

Surinamese for “Start over again”, Adyen was founded in 2006 by a group of payment technology experts, who aimed to build “a frictionless, state-of-the-art infrastructure that connects directly to card schemes and payment methods around the world“.

Based in Amsterdam, their first big household name was Groupon, closely followed by Netflix, Spotify, Etsy and Uber.

In 2016 they processed $90 billion worth of transactions, compared to Paypal’s $7.5 billion. They operate in 150 currencies and provide over 200 methods of payment.

Suriname

Suriname is the smallest country in South America, with a population of 558,368.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage

eBay has announced that it is entering into a joint operating agreement with Adyen, meaning that they will become eBay’s primary payment processor.

Adyen will start moving in with eBay, beginning with North America, during the second half of this year and into 2019. It is hoped that the majority of its marketplace customers will have transitioned by 2020. Paypal will still be a payment option until 2023.

Why

eBay’s joint operating agreement with Paypal officially comes to an end in 2020. eBay believes that customers want to shop and checkout on the same site and this agreement will enable just that – shopping and payment will all happen on eBay – much like Amazon payments all happen on Amazon. It’s also great news for eBay sellers.

Benefits for you

Buyers place more trust in websites that allow them to pay in the same place – meaning that they are less likely to abandon their cart, come checkout.

Streamlined

Also helping lower cart abandonment, will be the streamlined process from browsing, to basket, to checkout: Making buying so much easier, with less time to double think “do I really need that?”

Sales

Offering buyers a wider choice of payment methods will hopefully lead to increased sales. Country-specific payment preferences (such as paying on invoice) will no longer stop customers from choosing to buy from you; meaning you can expand globally.

We’re looking forward to more information being released soon but whatever the finer details, we’re confident that this will increase the number of buyers visiting eBay. If you’re not already selling on eBay this is definitely a reason to reconsider.

If you have any burning questions that just can’t wait, email paymentsinfo@ebay.com for more information.

About Expandly

Expandly is multichannel management software that enables you to sell on eBay, as well as Amazon, Etsy and your own marketplace.

Centralising everything on one easy-to-access dashboard, from the moment you login in the morning to the moment you ship your orders, Expandly aims to reduce your workload. It is simple, easy to use and focussed on helping small ecommerce businesses go from home-office or unit to warehouse and beyond.

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/02/15/ebay-adyen/feed/0Scores On The Doors: Amazon & eBay’s Q4 Resultshttp://expandly.com/2018/02/12/amazon-ebay-q4-results/
http://expandly.com/2018/02/12/amazon-ebay-q4-results/#respondMon, 12 Feb 2018 08:00:52 +0000http://www.expandly.com/?p=2775Whilst the first Monday in February might have been ‘national sickie day’ for some, it certainly wasn’t for Amazon or eBay, who were no doubt gloating in their impressive Q4 financial results. 31 January and 01 February saw the big guns reveal their big wins of the quarter and the year, and with results like these, they […]

Not one to be outdone, Amazon also announced astounding results and growth:

– Sales of $60.5 billion – a 38% increase for the quarter;

– Annual sales of $177.9 billion – a 31% increase; and

– More than five billion items shipped with Prime, worldwide.

What This Means For Multichannel Sellers

Amazon and eBay are working extremely hard to bring in sellers, buyers and (most importantly) sales. With heavy investments in new features, technology, advertising and more, ecommerce sellers are able to take advantage and ride their waves.

Whilst selling on eBay and Amazon comes at a cost, the exposure, audience and tools that you can take advantage of, will enable you to drive sales to more than cover the fees. Plus, with multichannel management software, such as Expandly, making it easy to sell on both Amazon and Ebay from one central location, multichannel selling becomes a no-brainer!

Join The Fun Today

Expandly is multichannel management software that is all about saving you time and effort.

From the moment you login in the morning to the moment you ship your orders, Expandly aims to reduce your workload. It is simple, easy to use and focussed on helping small ecommerce businesses go from home-office or unit to warehouse and beyond.

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/02/12/amazon-ebay-q4-results/feed/0Guest Blog: The 5 Biggest Laws of Abandoned Cart Email Campaignshttp://expandly.com/2018/02/08/guest-blog-cart-abandonment/
http://expandly.com/2018/02/08/guest-blog-cart-abandonment/#respondThu, 08 Feb 2018 08:00:29 +0000http://expandlywebsite1.azurewebsites.net/?p=2750This is a guest blog from the CartStack, the advanced, yet simple, cart abandonment recovery solution. There is probably no statistic more annoying to those of us in the ecommerce world than this: 7 out of 10 customers who fill a cart on your website will just leave it there and go off to walk […]

]]>This is a guest blog from the CartStack, the advanced, yet simple, cart abandonment recovery solution.

There is probably no statistic more annoying to those of us in the ecommerce world than this: 7 out of 10 customers who fill a cart on your website will just leave it there and go off to walk their dog, eat a sandwich or watch cat videos.

The reasons behind this irritating “cart abandonment” statistic are many, varied and hard to pin down. But there are ways to recover at least some of those wanderers. In fact, running an abandoned cart email campaign following these 5 rules can bring back 10 to 20 percent of these distracted shoppers to finish what they started:

1. Retargeting Emails Must Be Quick and Supportive

CartStack’s research shows that sending a cart abandonment email to your distracted shoppers no more than 20 minutes after they walk away will bring the most shoppers back to complete the purchase. Timing is essential. The things they wanted are still fresh in their memories.

Using a supportive, “was-it-our-fault?” tone in the email also increases a cart abandonment email’s effectiveness. The text of the email should be brief but assume that it was something on your website that glitched and that you want to make it right for the customer. A subtly-apologetic tone, enhanced with an offer of help, triggers many shoppers to come back and buy.

Why this works: As much as 88%of people will purchase based on what they perceive as excellent customer service. Step up to the plate here and you delight people into buying.

2. Reach Higher Up into the Sales Funnel with Browse Abandonment Emails

Browse abandonment emails are a little different than cart abandonment emails. You send them to customers who left your website before they even filled a shopping cart. It’s hard to tell why these people bailed after lingering over a product page, but it can be worth an 8 to 7% sales increase to send a browse abandonment email to these customers to encourage them to come back and buy. It may not seem like a lot, but over time, that can make a very positive increase in your sales numbers.

3. Your Cart Abandonment Email Campaign Must Include the Following 3 Elements

These 3 elements, mixed in the proper way, can increase how effective your cart abandonment emails are in real life. You may want to do some A/B testing, and/or use a session replay app such as the screen recordings from CartStack so you can figure out the most compelling way to address shoppers and their behaviour on your website:

Images for Browse Abandonment Emails—The right images can speak to the mind more quickly than words, so make sure your browse abandonment email has a picture of the product the shopper spent the most time hovering over during their visit on your website. Include a clear invitation/link back to the website to purchase.

Images for Cart Abandonment Emails—Again with the images! Along with pictures of what the customer added to their cart, include details such as size, color, etc. – but leave off the price for now.

Social Proof, Star Ratings and Reviews—In other words, peer pressure. For either type of email, include the 5-star ratings and short, but pithy reviews saying why that product is simply fabulous and desirable. This type of social proof is incredibly powerful at tipping customers through checkout.

Also, you can and should experiment with including images of other products that go along with the product in the shopper’s cart as a way to up-sell. Keep in mind that too much data in a cart abandonment email can be distracting, but this is definitely something you’ll want to test.

4. Frighten with Scarcity, Entice with Incentives

People often make purchasing decisions based on two emotional triggers: scarcity and incentives. In other words, if someone left a shopping cart with a sweater or a camera or a book or what have you, include in your cart abandonment email that there are only a few of those items left—and that they’re going fast! This can spur many a fence-sitting shopper into action.

At the same time, you can entice shoppers back with special goodies like free shipping, a discount code or coupon, or some other special offer if they come back to purchase within a set amount of time.

Both of these techniques employ a technique called loss aversion. Psychologically, humans hate the idea of losing something they think they already have more than they hate the idea of gaining a new thing. So, using scarcity and expiring discount codes is one way of triggering shoppers to come back and finish their purchase.

5. Release Them to Avoid Permanent Annoyance

Finally, do not badger your shoppers into annoyance or they may never want to purchase from you. Seeming over-eager and pestering can be a big turn-off. Let the customer know they can unsubscribe anytime. If they’ve lost interest, well… let them go. If you don’t annoy them, they may come back later with a happier attitude to purchase later on.

In the end, following up with browse and cart abandonment emails can bring you a significant returnin completed purchases over doing nothing. To learn more about recovering lost sales online, check out CartStack’s Ecommerce Conversion Blog here.

About CartStack

90% of online shoppers never make it to the shopping cart & 74% of those that do will leave without completing the purchase. CartStack gives online retailers the power & leverage needed to recapture 30%+ of lost online sales with conversion-focused emails & tools to help optimize checkout flow & site conversion.

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/02/08/guest-blog-cart-abandonment/feed/0Expandly Supporting the Community: Young Enterprise Milton Keyneshttp://expandly.com/2018/02/05/young-enterprise/
http://expandly.com/2018/02/05/young-enterprise/#respondMon, 05 Feb 2018 08:00:49 +0000http://expandlywebsite1.azurewebsites.net/?p=2732Sunday 28 January saw Expandly attend the 2017/18 Young Enterprise trade fair in Central Milton Keynes; the grand finale of an educational year. Young Enterprise Young Enterprise is an enterprise and financial educational charity, based here in the UK. Working annually with over 250,000 schoolchildren, they aim to bridge the gap between school and work (which we […]

]]>Sunday 28 January saw Expandly attend the 2017/18 Young Enterprise trade fair in Central Milton Keynes; the grand finale of an educational year.

Young Enterprise

Young Enterprise is an enterprise and financial educational charity, based here in the UK. Working annually with over 250,000 schoolchildren, they aim to bridge the gap between school and work (which we all know can be hard) by teaching valuable skills such as:

Company Programme

The Company Programme enables students to experience life setting up and running a company – from naming it, right through to selling at a Sunday’s trade fair. 35 student companies braved Milton Keynes’ shopping centre in January (the toughest month) to sell products, ranging from photos to money-box frames, and services, from job boards to mental health support.

Expandly Support

Expandly CEO, Alan Wilson, was invited to attend the trade fair as a judge and adviser to the budding entrepreneurs and was thoroughly impressed by what he saw:

“It is so good to see such youthful enthusiasm, coupled with some excellent business ideas. The skills that YE gives to these youngsters is invaluable so we are really happy to support the event.”

Best Product

Alan was tasked with judging the best product category and after much deliberating, he narrowed the final three down to (drum roll please):3rd Dynasty from Ken Stimpson Community School

Dynasty produced a series of educational fun books. They knew their market and were already expanding their range, which helped them to achieve third place.2nd Card Dog from Aylesbury Grammar School

An anti-card skimming device, this product was innovative as well as useful and the team had excellent margins and product awareness.

1st – Teens Meet Jobs from Walton High

A job board just for teens, this group were awarded first place for their ability to identify and fill a gap in the market. They understood their customer and their requirements to accurately target the market and produce good ideas for growth.

Overall Winner

Alan was then delighted to present the overall winner, Card Dog, with their trophy.

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/02/05/young-enterprise/feed/0January Ecommerce News Rounduphttp://expandly.com/2018/02/02/january-ecommerce-news-roundup/
http://expandly.com/2018/02/02/january-ecommerce-news-roundup/#respondFri, 02 Feb 2018 08:00:57 +0000http://expandlywebsite1.azurewebsites.net/?p=2623Jump, Jump, Jump, Jump It Up! Etsy announced it’s 2018 trend predictions and it turns out that wedding jumpsuits are a thing and they’re here. Home decor, mix and match jewellery and the hot new colour, ultraviolet, are all set to make an extra special appearance on people’s wish lists and shopping baskets. If you’re […]

Etsy announced it’s 2018 trend predictions and it turns out that wedding jumpsuits are a thing and they’re here. Home decor, mix and match jewellery and the hot new colour, ultraviolet, are all set to make an extra special appearance on people’s wish lists and shopping baskets. If you’re not with the times, hurry up!

Take It Back Now Y’All

Takeback Tuesday happened and it was busy. The biggest returns day of the year, people were busy returning those ‘close but no cigar’ gifts. Thank you gift receipt.

Parcel Tower To The Left Hand Side

Asda has launched the UK’s first automated parcel collection tower. Think vending machine on a bigger scale. Online consumers are increasingly opting to collect their deliveries, to avoid the dreaded ‘you were out when we tried to deliver’ card or, even worse, the ‘we threw your fragile china plate set over your garden fence’ card. Initiatives like this, aiming to make online shopping as convenient as picking up a pint of milk, are set to increase ecommerce sales even more.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Check It Out

Or not…Amazon opened its first checkout-less store this month in Seattle. Computer vision, machine learning and sensors enable the e-retailer giant to work out what you picked and packed and what you’ve picked and sacked off – leaving you to just scan your smartphone before leaving the store. Anticipated to be the future of retail, this is an exciting new step for shoppers and retail workers – with bakers, shelf-stackers and customer service agents dotted throughout the store, they were not without something to do!

The Prime of Your Life…At A Cost

Amazon has raised the price of its Prime membership in the US by 20% to $12.99. The premium Amazon service that gives subscribers free two-day shipping, cloud storage and video streaming services, it will be interesting to see if users think it’s worth the dollar.

Bargain Hunters

Amazon US has launched a new $10 and under section on their website, for all those bargain-savvy buyers (who spent out on Prime – see above). We’re yet to see if this will be launched in Europe but it’s an interesting new category for Amazon and one to think about when setting your prices.

A Bite Of The Cherry

There’s a new WooCommerce plugin-town that will enable users to accept Bitcoin Cash-the cheaper and more efficient cousin of Bitcoin. Watch this space.

Top Of the Class

The UK Customer Satisfaction Index was released this month and Amazon retained its place as the top performing retailer. Aiming to enable organisations to achieve excellent customer service, the independent body survey 10,000 people across the country asking them about their most recent interaction with retailers. eBay was up at number 22 and there were ten new entrants.

Grazie Millie

Etsy has made it even easier to reach out to international online shoppers, by allowing you to translate your own Etsy store instead of relying on machine translations. This will make your Etsy store appear more professional and seamless across the globe. Visit Shop Manager> Settings > Languages and translations to get started.

You Used To Call Me On Your Cellphone

And that’s not all thats been going on over at Etsy HQ. They’ve updated their mobile app so that you can now view your latest deposit balance and pay your shop bill all from the comfort of your phone.

Fanny That!

And finally, when you’re struggling to make it through the early part of the year, remember, eBay sold more than 57,000 bum-bags last year. Anything is possible.

Here’s to a fabulous February!

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/02/02/january-ecommerce-news-roundup/feed/0The Future Is Now: The Future Is eBay. eBay’s ‘Why To Buy’http://expandly.com/2018/01/30/ebay-why-to-buy/
http://expandly.com/2018/01/30/ebay-why-to-buy/#respondTue, 30 Jan 2018 18:15:59 +0000http://expandlywebsite1.azurewebsites.net/?p=2728eBay brought the future to us in 2017, with Image Search, Find It On eBay and subconscious shopping and its pioneering artificial intelligence features aren’t stopping there. Artifical Intelligence & Machine Learning Artifical intelligence (or AI) is the development of computer systems to enable them to perform actions and tasks that would usually require the intelligence of a […]

Artifical Intelligence & Machine Learning

Artifical intelligence (or AI) is the development of computer systems to enable them to perform actions and tasks that would usually require the intelligence of a human. This might be decision making, visual perception and speech recognition, for example.

Machine learning is a form of AI and involves the development of computer systems to expand and learn automatically, through experience and not through explicit programming.

Relevance to Ecommerce

Artifical intelligence and machine learning have huge implications for ecommerce and are set to make online shopping a more simple, intuitive and enjoyable experience for consumers and a more profitable experience for e-retailers.

eBay’s Why To Buy

eBay’s have continued their recent foray into AI and machine learning with their new Why to Buy feature.

Think of it as your bad influence friend who’s the reason you return from your shopping trip for a pack of batteries, with a new jacket, shoes and sunglasses to match – in app form.

The Why to Buy feature works on signal intelligence to provide shoppers with reasons to click ‘buy’. Using machine learning and data, the feature will constantly adapt and learn from buyers’ buying patterns, to highlight reasons why you really should buy this. Now.

These signals may include free delivery, experienced sellers, limited edition and free returns.

What This Means For You

This feature sets to make it quicker for online shoppers to find items and easier for them to make the decision to buy: Hopefully translating into increased sales and profit for you. What’s even better, is that eBay is investing in this technology so that you don’t have to, which is why eBay really should be one of your sales channels.

Expandly easily integrates your website shopping cart, such as Shopify and WooCommerce, with your eBay account; making it easy to list items, manage orders, handle your inventory and process shipping on all platforms, from one central location.

The Why to Buy feature is currently available in the UK, US, Germany and Australia on desktop, iOS and Android.

About Expandly

Expandly is multichannel management software that is all about saving you time and effort.

From the moment you login in the morning to the moment you ship your orders, Expandly aims to reduce your workload. It is simple, easy to use and focussed on helping small ecommerce businesses go from home-office or unit to warehouse and beyond.

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/01/30/ebay-why-to-buy/feed/0Clickety-Click: Bingo for Magento Users With New One Click Buttonhttp://expandly.com/2018/01/25/magento-one-click/
http://expandly.com/2018/01/25/magento-one-click/#respondThu, 25 Jan 2018 08:00:53 +0000http://www.expandly.com/?p=2647Theresa’s Den Its been ten long years that Amazon has held the exclusive rights to the infamous one-click button, making the checkout process oh-so-easy; if not a little too easy (we’ve all been there!) But whilst we were all celebrating back to school in September, Amazon was mourning the loss of the ten year patent on the […]

Its been ten long years that Amazon has held the exclusive rights to the infamous one-click button, making the checkout process oh-so-easy; if not a little too easy (we’ve all been there!)

But whilst we were all celebrating back to school in September, Amazon was mourning the loss of the ten year patent on the instant purchase checkout technology.

Hey Presto Magento

Things were a little quiet but now Magento, the open-source shopping cart, has popped its head up. Magento will be the first ecommerce platform to offer the one-click checkout as a standard feature, in its latest release of Magento Commerce, and boy are we happy.

Providing online shoppers with a quicker and easier checkout procedure, the instant purchase technology will offer just that: instant purchasing, without the need to enter address, payment or shipping details.

And The Initial Results Are In

Early reports are that order times can be shorten by up to 90%, brilliant news for mobile shoppers and those looking to quickly replenish their home stocks (we are out of chocolate, I repeat, we are out of chocolate).

It’s also great news for impulse sales and spending without thinking about the overall basket cost.

Open-Source Wins Again

And it doesn’t stop there. Magento’s open-source offering means that you can customise the button text and logo in order to stay on-brand and en-pointe.

Multichannel Selling

This is yet another win in favour of multichannel selling. Multichannel software, such as Expandly, easily integrates your Magento shopping cart, with your Amazon, eBay and Etsy accounts. Meaning that you can have instant-click purchases wherever your online shoppers are clicking you. Clickedy-click!

About Expandly

Expandly is multichannel management software that is all about saving you time and effort.

From the moment you login in the morning to the moment you ship your orders, Expandly aims to reduce your workload. It is simple, easy to use and focussed on helping small ecommerce businesses go from home-office or unit to warehouse and beyond.

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/01/25/magento-one-click/feed/0Expandly Selected for Exclusive Microsoft BizSpark Plus Programhttp://expandly.com/2018/01/21/expandly-selected-exclusive-microsoft-bizspark-plus-program/
http://expandly.com/2018/01/21/expandly-selected-exclusive-microsoft-bizspark-plus-program/#respondSun, 21 Jan 2018 14:55:22 +0000http://expandlywebsite1.azurewebsites.net/?p=2697Expandly has started 2018 on a high by being selected and welcomed into the renowned Microsoft BizSpark Plus program. The global program has been designed and tailored by Microsoft to support startups through their next phase of growth. Expandly will receive exclusive access to software, development tools and visibility, as well as an investment of up […]

]]>Expandly has started 2018 on a high by being selected and welcomed into the renowned Microsoft BizSpark Plus program.

The global program has been designed and tailored by Microsoft to support startups through their next phase of growth. Expandly will receive exclusive access to software, development tools and visibility, as well as an investment of up to $120,000 of Azure credits into Expandly.

Offered only to select startups globally, it shows Microsoft’s belief that Expandly is destined for high growth potential.

Alan Wilson, founder and CEO of Expandly says:

“This is a great achievement for both Expandly and our customers. The Azure credits will not only enable us to invest in the business itself but, more importantly, it will enable us to invest further into the platform – making the system even better for our customers and in-turn for their businesses”.

This further cements Expandly’s ongoing relationship with Microsoft – having moved their servers over to Azure back in July 2017- and is yet another achievement for Expandly, who last year alone partnered with UK charity Action for Children, appeared in the Shopify App Store and attended the 19th Blackbox Connect program (this time as an entrepreneur in residence).

Expandly is looking forward to an equally successful 2018 and Microsoft’s BizSpark Plus is a great start.

About Expandly

Expandly is multichannel management software that is all about saving you time and effort.

From the moment you login in the morning to the moment you ship your orders, Expandly aims to reduce your workload. It is simple, easy to use and focussed on helping small ecommerce businesses go from home-office or unit to warehouse and beyond.

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/01/21/expandly-selected-exclusive-microsoft-bizspark-plus-program/feed/0Key Facts From the Royal Mail Delivery Matters Reporthttp://expandly.com/2018/01/18/ecommerce-2017-statistics/
http://expandly.com/2018/01/18/ecommerce-2017-statistics/#respondThu, 18 Jan 2018 08:00:27 +0000http://expandlywebsite1.azurewebsites.net/?p=2641The Royal Mail has released their Delivery Matters reports for 2017 and the findings are interesting. Very interesting. So enough type and let’s get straight to the facts to see what they mean for multichannel sellers: What Shoppers Search Amazon, eBay and Etsy For Facts: Many online shoppers have preconceptions about what the big three offer and […]

]]>The Royal Mail has released their Delivery Matters reports for 2017 and the findings are interesting. Very interesting. So enough type and let’s get straight to the facts to see what they mean for multichannel sellers:

What Shoppers Search Amazon, eBay and Etsy For

Facts: Many online shoppers have preconceptions about what the big three offer and the research suggests that these still stand with:

60% using Amazon to search for a range of items

64% using eBay for bargain hunting

42% heading to Etsy for something ‘unique’

Multichannel selling: This highlights the importance of appearing on Amazon, eBay and Etsy, as well as your own online marketplace. Doing so, ensures that you capture shoppers who are bypassing Google and heading straight to their favourite online marketplace. Multichannel software, such as Expandly, easily integrates your shopping cart with Amazon, eBay and Etsy, giving you no excuse for not appearing on all three.

How Shoppers Get To Online Marketplaces

Facts: 58% of shoppers use a search engine when looking for things to buy.

Multichannel selling: By selling on Etsy, eBay and Amazon, as well as your own shopping cart, you will have even more success at being top of the pops for search-engine shoppers.

Phone vs Computer

Facts: Computer is still nailing it, with 86% of online consumers using their laptop or desktops, compared to 43% using their smartphone or tablet.

Multichannel selling: eBay, Amazon and Etsy all have great websites and mobile apps, meaning that you can take advantage whatever device your potential customers are using.

Most Popular Items

Facts: Clothing is still the most popular online item, accounting for 32% of online shopping. Hot on the heels (literally) are….books with 31% and CDs/DVDs/video games at 24%.

Items more likely to be bought through a marketplace seller, rather than an online retailer are (drum roll please):

– books

– CDs/DVDs/records (yes, we’re still in 2018)/games

– Personalised items

– Second-hand clothes

Multichannel selling: Online marketplaces are preferred for a number of purchases, highlighting the importance of using them, even when selling through your own shopping cart, such as Shopify or Magento.

How Often

Facts: We do our grocery shop like clockwork but what about our online shopping. A huge 80% of Amazon shoppers buy at least monthly, with 17% doing so weekly (hello, Amazon Dash). Whilst over at eBay, 76% of shoppers are there monthly and 16% weekly. Deal hunters.

Multichannel selling: Multichannel software, such as Expandly, easily compiles reports from across your sales channels to work out what you’re selling, when and where so that you can easily plan your stock, sales and strategies.

The Importance of Delivery

Facts: 90% of online shoppers said that the cost of delivery was an important factor when buying from online marketplaces. 62% preferred free home delivery, whilst 29% preferred click and collect options.

Returns

Facts: Online returns are relatively small, yet still, 59% of online shoppers say that the returns experience impacts the rating they give to sellers and 62% would be unlikely to shop again after a negative returns experience.

Multichannel selling: Multichannel management software provides you with inventory management – meaning that returns are quickly and easily processed, with stock levels being simultaneously updated on all of your sales channels. Providing a positive returns experience for all. You’re welcome.

Join The Conversation

We’d be really interested in hearing your thoughts on the Royal Mail’s report and whether their evidence stacks up against your experiences. Head over to our Twitter conversation now:

]]>http://expandly.com/2018/01/18/ecommerce-2017-statistics/feed/0Five Ecommerce Goals for 2018http://expandly.com/2018/01/15/2018-ecommerce-goals/
http://expandly.com/2018/01/15/2018-ecommerce-goals/#respondMon, 15 Jan 2018 08:00:54 +0000http://expandlywebsite1.azurewebsites.net/?p=2626New year, new resolutions, new goals. Whilst the running trainers may have already edged their way to the back of the wardrobe, we’re here to help you plan, achieve and even smash your 2018 online retail goals. Let’s get started: 1. Reporting Getting your reporting in order is a brilliant way to start the year. […]

]]>New year, new resolutions, new goals. Whilst the running trainers may have already edged their way to the back of the wardrobe, we’re here to help you plan, achieve and even smash your 2018 online retail goals. Let’s get started:

1. Reporting

Getting your reporting in order is a brilliant way to start the year. Clear and clean reports make it easy for you to plan your stock, see and anticipate trends, strategise your business and, ultimately, increase your profits. Do a complete audit and tidy-up of your current reports and then treat yourself to Expandly, which gives you quick access to automated reports from across your sales channels.

2. Expand

With nine in ten UK SMEs planning to sell online this year, increased competition means that you need to expand your exposure to online shoppers. How? With multichannel selling of course! Expanding your online presence from your own website to Amazon, eBay and Etsy, means that there is even more chance that Mr eBay or Miss Amazon will find you. Sound complicated? It’s not! Multichannel management software, such as Expandly, exists to take all the complexities of multichannel selling away, affordably. Allowing you to easily integrate your own shopping cart with Amazon, eBay and Etsy, as well as order management, inventory management, accounting integration and reporting functionality.

3. Improve Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is huge. One negative comment can turn away 22% of your potential customers and four or more can take up to 70% of business away. Accurate product descriptions, in-stock items and prompt delivery are all excellent ways to increase customer satisfaction and feedback. Multichannel management software helps you to avoid listing errors, manage your inventory and quickly create packing lists and shipping labels, from one central and easy location.

4. Save Costs

We all want to increase our sales and decrease our costs. Multichannel management software can be expensive but Expandly was built with small businesses in mind, meaning a small and easy to afford monthly cost, as well as a free demo.

5. Increase Your Work-Life Balance

Everyone could do with a little less screen time and a little more beach time. Multichannel management software, such as Expandly, saves you time by collating all of your online marketplaces into one central location, as well as bulk listings, automated reporting, live inventory management, picking lists and shipping labels. With all that free time you’ll have no option but to spend it on the beach!

About Expandly

Expandly is multichannel management software that is all about saving you time and effort.

From the moment you login in the morning to the moment you ship your orders, Expandly aims to reduce your workload. It is simple, easy to use and focussed on helping small ecommerce businesses go from home-office or unit to warehouse and beyond.